Ferenc Fricsay
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Biography
Conductor Ferenc Fricsay was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary on August 9, 1914. The son of a bandleader, he became interested in music at a young age â especially conducting - and enrolled at the Franz Liszt Academy to study piano, violin, clarinet, trombone, percussion, and composition. He studied under artists such as pianist / composter Béla Bartók, composer Zoltán Kodály, pianist / composer Ernst Von Dohnányi, and composer Leó Weiner. Ferenc Fricsay made his debut as a guest conductor for his fatherâs Young Musicianâs Orchestra of Budapest before taking over as full-time conductor a year later. He graduated in 1933 and became a répétiteur of the chorus for the Budapest Opera as well as assuming the role of musical director for the Szeged Philharmonic Orchestra from 1933 until 1943. When the Nazi regime occupied Hungary in 1944, Ferenc Fricsay and his family went into hiding. However, he became co-director of the Orchestra of Budapest and principal conductor of the Budapest Opera in 1945. He then conducted the Vienna Opera (1946-1948 ) and conducted at the Salzburg Festival 1947, where he replaced Otto Klemperer for the debut of Gottried von Einemâs opera Danton's Tod. His popularity led to Ferenc Fricsayâs appointment as Chief Conductor of the Berlin RIAS Symphony Orchestra and General Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Between his two stints with the Berlin RIAS (1948-1954 and 1959-1963), Ferenc Fricsay led the Houston Symphony Orchestra in the US (1954), and then the Munich Opera (1956-1958 ) while also collaborating with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Over the course of his career, he was recognized for his clarity and attention to detail, making him one of the most modern post-war conductors. He worked with many acclaimed artists including Ernst Haefliger, Maria Stader, Rita Streich, Leonie Rysanek, Irmgard Seefried, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Géza Anda, Johanna Martzy, Yehudi Menuhin, Erica Morini, Annie Fischer, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, and Monique Haas. Ferenc Fricsay suffered from stomach cancer and died of a perforation of the gallbladder on February 20, 1963, at the age of 48. While known for his interpretations of works by Mozart and Beethoven, his recorded output includes a varied repertoire including Mendelssohn: Ein Sommernachtstraum, Op. 61 (1950), Rossini: Overtures (1953), Verdi: Ouverturen (1955), Hartmann: 6. Symphonie für GroÃes Orchester (1956), Johann-Strauss-Klänge (1958), DvoÅák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 âFrom the New Worldâ (1961), and Fricsay Conducts Rachmaninov, Tcherepnin & Weber (1961). Over the years, there have been many compilations released but none more complete than the box set The Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon, which includes 86 CDs and a DVD.
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Albums
Ferenc Fricsay
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon, Vol. 1: Orchestral Works (Part 2)
FEATURED
Ferenc Fricsay
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon, Vol. 1: Orchestral Works (Part 1)
FEATURED
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Wo bin ich?" by Ernst Haefliger
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja" by Ferenc Fricsay
- Beethoven: Fidelio Op. 72 / Act 1 - "Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?" featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "He da!" by Ferenc Fricsay
- Ouvertüre featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- Beethoven: Fidelio Op. 72 / Act 1 - "Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!" featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- Leichtes Blut - Polka schnell, Op. 319 featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Ist's denn Wirklichkeit" by Rita Streich
- Beethoven: Fidelio Op. 72 / Act 1 - "Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht" featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Dies Bildnis" by Ernst Haefliger
- Beethoven: Fidelio Op. 72 / Act 1 - "O welche Lust, in freier Luft den Atem leicht zu heben!" featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- Beethoven: Fidelio Op. 72 / Act 1 - "Nun sprecht, wie ging's?" featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Hm! hm! hm! hm!" by Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Wir haben die geflohene Pamina" by Ferenc Fricsay
- Pizzicato-Polka o. Op. featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Bin ich nicht ein Narr" by Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Du feines Täubchen, nur herein!" by Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Bei Männern" by Ferenc Fricsay
- Perpetuum mobile - Musikalischer Scherz, Op. 257 featuring Ferenc Fricsay
- Debussy: Danses for Harp and Orchestra, L.103 - 1. Danse sacrée featuring Nicanor Zabaleta
- Faust: Allegretto by Ferenc Fricsay
- La flûte enchantée, K. 620, Act I: "Komm Tamino" by Ferenc Fricsay
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: Wedding March by Ferenc Fricsay
- Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72 / Act 1 - "Ha! Welch ein Augenblick!" featuring Ferenc Fricsay
